Proposal and Marriage Time!!

We had dated for about two and a half months when we started talking about getting married. We got engaged on October 13th 2007. I was in such a bad mood that day. I had worked all day, but that was not what had made me so ornery. It was that time of the month, and our stake was doing a Media Fast. We were encouraged not to watch, listen to, or read anything but church or school-related material. We decided to participate, but our roommates chose not to. It was hard, because we could not relax after work and school because our roommates were in the front room watching T.V. It was the longest two weeks of my life. The 13th was the last day of the Fast.

Mike wanted to have a fun night together and go out to eat and maybe go bowling or go for a drive up Provo canyon. I was so tired and all I wanted to do was go to bed. I really wanted to just watch a movie, if we ended up doing anything, . Mike talked me into going out to eat.

We went to The Olive Garden, one of my very favorite places to eat. (Mike had never been before that.) We didn't talk too much because I was so tired and in such a bad mood. I did ask him what he did for lunch, though, to which he said he had some beef stew with some friends. I found that kind of strange, but didn't dig any deeper. (I found out later that the 'friends' were my parents, who Mike had visited that afternoon and asked for their permission to marry me.) Once we finished dinner, Mike asked what I wanted to do. I told him I really just wanted to go home and watch a movie. I didn't even care if it was a church movie, I just needed to relax. He said we could do whatever I wanted, and that it was my night: I could choose anything.

When we got back to my apartment, Mike said he needed to run and put some clothes in the wash. He told me to get a movie picked out while he was gone. I decided we would watch Cinderella, my favorite Disney movie. Halfway through the movie, it started skipping, which made me mad. Mike got up and wiped off the disc. While he was doing that I was looking at him and thinking to myself, "That is the man that I'm going to be with forever."

The movie started working again and I was in a much better mood. Once the movie was over we sat and talked. Mike told me all the reasons why he loved me. Then he asked me if I could do him a favor. I said, "Sure, what do you need?" (I thought he just wanted me to go with him to change his laundry.) Then he took my ring out of his pocket. There was no laundry! I was shocked. He asked me to marry him, and of course I screamed, "Yes! Flippin' sweet!' Then I asked him, "How did you get the ring so fast?" (It was 'supposed' to be another two weeks until it was ready!) I started crying because I was so happy, then I was so giddy. It was like a little girl on Christmas morning. I think I was a little bipolar that night. I felt so many emotions; it was like a roller coaster ride!

Now for the wedding plans.

Wedding plans began immediately. We first talked about getting married in April once the semester was over for Mike. Then we moved it to March, then February! We chose the 14th: Valentine's Day! Mike's parents were married that day, too. We also chose to get married in the Provo, Utah Temple, where my parents were married.

I already knew that I didn't want a reception. I had always hated the idea of having to stand in line and talk to people on the day of my wedding. I had always wanted to be able to enjoy the day and have something more personal and intimate. We decided to do things a little differently. Mike was so happy that I didn't want the traditional wedding. My mom and I planned a family wedding dinner for February 13th, the night before the wedding. We booked the Salem civic center. It was the perfect size for the amount of people we wanted to invite.

Then for the dress. I decided to rent my dress. I ended up choosing the first dress I tried on at Pamela's Bridal in Orem. I tried on several, but I kept going back to the first one! It was perfect for me. It looked a little antiqued, which I loved. I had one of my best friends Stacy do my hair. It was exactly what I wanted: a little bit of a 40's flair to it.

Our photographer was good friend of ours, Tony Murray. He was fabulous. He took our engagement photos in Park City, on main street. He made it so much fun. Then for my bridals. We took some at the Riverwoods, in Provo. We also went up Provo Canyon, near Vivian Park, and took some pictures on some old train tracks. They turned out wonderfully I was very pleased with how well everything was going so far.

Then I went on birth control... That was the worst thing I have ever done to my body. It turned me into BRIDEZILLA! I was so moody all the time and did not want Mike to come near me. I almost called off the wedding it was so bad. So we decided it would be best for me to go off the pill, and what a huge difference that made!

Now we have to wait for the day to get here. More waiting. It seemed like it would never come. I went through the Provo Temple to receive my endowment on February 7th. It was such a neat experience. I can still remember the feeling I had being in the House of the Lord.

After all the planning and waiting, it was finally here: Yay! On the day of the 13th, I went to get my hair done. The weather was beautiful when I headed back to Salem to put the finishing touches on the dinner. We took family pictures before all of our guests arrived. Right as we started taking pictures, a huge snow storm rolled in. When I say huge, I mean HUGE! It was a total white out. It was so bad that kids were having to stay over night at school because they could not get home. I started having a panic attack because I didn't want it to ruin everything. People started showing up, despite the weather. I was amazed people were willing to risk their lives in this awful storm to come to our wedding dinner. There were a few that could not make it due to the weather, but I was so grateful that so many showed up. My best friend Megan flew in all the way form Oklahoma just for the wedding. I kept looking for her. Finally I saw her come in. I was so relieved to see her there safe.

It turned out beautifully, even with all the hiccups. You can plan all you want but I have learned you can't plan the weather. We finally got home at eleven that night after cleaning up the dinner. I was so exhausted, but do you think I could sleep? Not at all! I think I slept for maybe 2 hours total that night. I had so many different emotions going through me.

Finally I heard my Mom get up so I jumped out of bed and went to talk to her. She made me breakfast and then it was off to get my hair done again! I was able to relax a bit while Stacy did my hair. Then I drove back to Salem, picked up my parents, and left to pick up Mike. Then it was off to the Temple to be sealed to Mike for all eternity! WOW!! What an amazing day we had at the Temple. All we had to worry about was the Temple, not rushing to a reception afterward. We took our time getting pictures with family and friends and then just the two of us. It was so beautiful with all the snow from the day before.


Honeymoon...


For our Honeymoon we went up to Salt Lake for the weekend. It was so nice. Mike booked a carriage ride around down town Salt Lake: so romantic! We went to eat at our favorite Italian restaurant, Biaggi's, at the Gate Way mall. We also went to the the Salt Lake Temple to go through our first session as a married couple.

What a blessing it is to have each other to go through our ups and downs with!